Kenneth Okonkwo: Voting for Peter Obi in 2027 Could Benefit Tinubu
Former Labour Party spokesperson and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, has argued that votes cast for Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election could ultimately strengthen the re-election chances of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Okonkwo made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV on Wednesday, where he stressed the importance of opposition unity ahead of the next general election.
Calls for a united opposition
According to Okonkwo, opposition parties must rally behind a single candidate if they hope to successfully challenge the ruling party.
He argued that multiple opposition candidates would divide votes and increase the likelihood of President Tinubu securing another term in office.
“The reason I said it is that either you’re working for Tinubu directly, in other words, you’re in APC, or you’re working for Tinubu indirectly because when you divide the votes of the coalition and the opposition, you’re still making Tinubu better placed to win,” he said.
Okonkwo maintained that a fragmented opposition would struggle to present a viable alternative to the electorate.
Criticism of Obi’s coalition stance
The ADC chieftain also criticised Obi’s reported withdrawal from coalition discussions involving the party.
According to him, Obi voluntarily joined the coalition talks but later pulled out shortly before key decisions were expected to be made.
“Nobody forced Peter Obi to enter ADC. He entered on his own, and one week to the end of the closure of the time, he left and gave the reason,” Okonkwo stated.
He further argued that aspiring leaders should be willing to participate in internal party contests and navigate political challenges.
“You can’t compete in a primary and you want to be a politician. You want to be the president of a challenged country, and you’re running away from challenge,” he added.
Claims involving Victor Umeh
Okonkwo also alleged that Victor Umeh had previously suggested that the South-East’s strongest path to producing a president would involve forming a political alliance with northern stakeholders.
According to him, Umeh believed such an arrangement could see Obi emerge as a vice-presidential candidate before eventually pursuing the presidency.
“When we were all entering ADC, Victor Umeh made it clear and spoke to me directly that the only chance the Igbo people have is to align with the North and for our brother Peter Obi to be a vice president,” Okonkwo claimed.
He further alleged that Umeh had described Obi as difficult to persuade politically.
“I told him, ‘Have you told Obi?’ He said yes, but that Peter Obi is very stubborn. That if you tell him anything, he would not believe but would continue to try,” he said.
Warning against vote splitting
Concluding his remarks, Okonkwo warned opposition supporters against what he described as the dangers of vote splitting in the 2027 election.
According to him, backing separate opposition candidates could inadvertently benefit the ruling party.
“Let me tell you the truth, in 2027, anybody voting any vote whatsoever to Peter Obi, you’re voting for Tinubu,” he stated.
His comments have since generated debate among political observers and supporters of various opposition groups, with discussions centring on coalition politics, electoral strategy, and the prospects of the opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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